May 08 2009
Compare and Contrast
Today I dared to peep at my bank account, and the number was so tiny and pathetic I’m pretty sure it was Tiny Tim in a former life. So much for going to a baseball game this weekend (the Blue Jays are in town and they’re smokin’ hot this year) or seeing Auntie Mame* (one of my favorite movies) at the beautiful Paramount Theater. ‘Cause who has five dollars?
I think I can be forgiven for comparing the past and the present. And I think you can see which one is better:
| Then | Now |
| Spacious apartment in Pacific Heights | Tiny house in Oakland overrun with boxes |
| 1966 Mustang convertible, silver-blue with white top | 1997 Taurus, missing one hubcap and stolen GPS |
| Walked to work through San Francisco (free!) | BART station of death ($6.60 a shot, no pun intended) |
| Fabulous delivery food, esp. pizza | No edible delivery; reduced to making own pizza |
| Perfect climate (I love you, fog) | House is convection oven in the summer |
| Buying diamonds | Selling diamonds | Dermalogica | Oil of Olay | Buying books | Library books |
| European vacations at least once a year | Can’t even afford to visit brother & sister |
*I just love Patrick Dennis’ books, which are mostly out of print due to the lack of taste of the general American public. Rosalind Russell (who shares my birthday) is fabulous in the movie, and the adult Patrick is played by none other than the swooningly handsome Roger Smith. Roger was one of the debonair stars of one of my fave TV shows, 77 Sunset Strip. And lest you question my taste, I’ll just let you know that Roger is still the gorgeous Ann-Margret’s one and only husband, after more than 50 years.